A third scientific study from the European Union that says
hormone-treated beef is unsafe to eat isn’t sitting well with Canadian
cattle producers who insist their product is safe.
“We have taken them to court three times and we won three times,” said
Neil Jahnke, president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
“It’s a non-tariff trade barrier.”
While a panel of World Trade Organization scientists has found that
hormone-treated beef from Canada and the United States is safe, the EU
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refuses to accept it.
Cattle producers have asked that such rulings be considered binding and
that trade be allowed under WTO rules.
“This is clearly one of the most frustrating issues,” Jahnke said.
Canada and the U.S. have retaliated by imposing tariffs on EU food and
setting a steep tariff on European pork and beef products, as well as
food such as canned peaches, gingerbread, gin, vodka, preserved
tomatoes, wheat gluten and some cookies.
The EU has invoked the precautionary principle, which says trade can be
blocked because of further potential food safety concerns.
A News release
news from the European Commission’s office in Ottawa said the
use of hormones to promote growth in cattle poses a potential health
risk to consumers.
Published by the EU Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures, this
third study said there is no reason to change its opinion from past
investigations.
The committee listed six hormones it finds unacceptable: estradial
17-a, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone acetate and
melengestrol acetete.
The committee said residues are found in fat and edible tissues, and
raised concerns over people’s increased potential for cancer when
exposed to hormones in beef.
The Europeans imposed the ban in 1988. Canada and the U.S. contested
the ban and won at the WTO, but the EU appealed on the grounds of
sanitary and phytosanitary measures. The EU veterinary committee
concluded in three different studies that no acceptable daily intake
could be established. Therefore, it would not tolerate the use of any
growth promotants.
The CCA published a fact sheet citing evidence that no risk exists
based on findings of the World Health Organization.
It said WHO did not set maximum residue limits in beef because there is
no difference in hormone levels in untreated and treated animals. The
hormones are used to promote faster gain and are all naturally
occurring substances found in a variety of meat and vegetables.
